Learning how to count in Icelandic is an essential part of mastering the language, whether for travel, conversation, or understanding the culture deeply. Icelandic numbers are relatively straightforward and once you get the hang of the pattern, you’ll find it easier to remember and use them in everyday situations.

Tölur – Numbers
The word for numbers in Icelandic is “tölur”. Understanding numbers will help you with prices, dates, time, and many other practical situations.

Hann gat talið upp að hundrað á íslensku.
(He could count up to one hundred in Icelandic.)

Einn – One
The number one in Icelandic is “einn” for masculine nouns, “ein” for feminine nouns, and “eitt” for neuter nouns.

Ég ætla að kaupa einn miða, takk.
(I would like to buy one ticket, please.)

Tveir – Two
The word for two in Icelandic changes depending on gender: “tveir” for masculine, “tvær” for feminine, and “tvö” for neuter nouns.

Tveir menn stóðu fyrir utan.
(Two men were standing outside.)

Þrír – Three
Similarly to “two”, the word for three is “þrír” for masculine, “þrjár” for feminine, and “þrjú” for neuter nouns.

Þrjár konur sungu saman.
(Three women were singing together.)

Fjórir – Four
The number four is “fjórir” for masculine, “fjórar” for feminine, and “fjögur” for neuter nouns.

Hann keypti fjórar bækur í bókabúðinni.
(He bought four books in the bookstore.)

Fimm – Five
Five in Icelandic remains the same across genders, making it easier to remember: “fimm”.

Hún hefur fimm systkini.
(She has five siblings.)

Sex – Six
The word for six is “sex” and does not change with gender.

Sex dagar eru eftir til jóla.
(Six days are left until Christmas.)

Sjö – Seven
The number seven in Icelandic is “sjö” and is the same for all genders.

Sjö hundar leku í garðinum.
(Seven dogs were playing in the garden.)

Átta – Eight
Eight is “átta” and, like seven, does not change according to gender.

Hún vaknaði klukkan átta.
(She woke up at eight o’clock.)

Níu – Nine
Nine in Icelandic is “níu” and is consistent across genders.

Níu nemendur voru valdir til að keppa.
(Nine students were selected to compete.)

Tíu – Ten
The word for ten is “tíu”, and it is the same for masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns.

Tíu krakkar spiluðu fótbolta saman.
(Ten kids were playing soccer together.)

As you advance beyond ten, Icelandic numbers build on these basics and follow a pattern similar to English. For example, eleven is “ellefu”, twelve is “tólf”, and so on. After twenty, “tuttugu”, the numbers are constructed by combining the base ten number with the single number, such as “twenty-one” being “tuttugu og einn”.

Getting comfortable with Icelandic numbers is a fundamental step in becoming conversant in Icelandic. Whether you’re asking for a table at a restaurant or setting up a meeting time, numbers are everywhere. Practice these basics, and soon you’ll find yourself counting like a local!